Issue - meetings

The approach to further work with government on devolution described in the report, with the coverage and portfolio leadership set out in the high level Action Plan, was approved.

The board considered a report from Julia Goldsworthy, Director of Strategy, that provided details on the proposed Devolution Action Plan and the ‘phase three’ of devolution referred to in the report considered by this board at its meeting on 9 February 2018.

The second devolution deal was announced in the government’s Autumn Budget in November 2017 and contained a number of commitments for the WMCA and the government to work together on. This work was set out in an Action Plan and covered a wide range of areas, including the Housing Deal, Local Industrial Strategy, skills, employment, transport, public services and Funding for Growth Commission.

Councillor George Adamson reported on the poor bus service that existed in Cannock Chase on Sundays. Councillor Roger Lawrence noted the implications that this had for people seeking to travel to either the New Cross or Cannock Chase hospitals. Transport for West Midlands was rolling out the Swift smartcard into Cannock Chase, which was hoped would make travelling by public transport easier and result in increased patronage.

David Jamieson, West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner, indicated that he wished to be directly involved in the workstream that was looking at proposals for merging the role of Mayor and Police & Crime Commissioner, and the Mayor agreed for the Action Plan to be amended to reflect this.

Resolved:

The approach to further work with government on devolution described in the report, with the coverage and portfolio leadership set out in the high level Action Plan, be approved.